The PAWfect Summer Internship

The RSPCA is an organisation that is highly commended for their fantastic work in the prevention of animal cruelty. In order to cover the costs of their operations, the RSPCA must be successful in its communication and fundraising efforts due to the minimal amount of funding provided by the Government. As a pet owner and animal lover myself I could not have been happier to find out that the West Australian office would take me as an intern throughout the summer months. 

To say the least my first day at the Malaga Pet Shelter was a whirlwind. The communications team provided me with a snapshot of the projects they hoped I could assist with and we also discussed my previous experience in not-for-profit communications which seemed minimal in comparison to the work load that they had. Next on the agenda was a tour of the office and animal housing. It was exactly as I imagined, the staff were incredibly welcoming and so was the gorgeous Corgi puppy that gave me kisses and cuddles in one of the animal training rooms. 

The tour carried on outside where there seemed to be quite a bit of activity. It was at this point that I was informed about the opening event of the new state of the art cattery which was expected to be attended by WA Minister for Local Government Tony Simpson, RSPCA WA President Lynne Bradshaw and a number of journalists from all major news channels. This event gave me a much better understanding of what goes on behind the scenes in a media call-out and the value of free publicity to a charity such as the RSPCA. It became clear in a very short time that guaranteed shots of a Minister holding a cute kitten was what drew the media attention. The organisation then used this attention to discuss its value to the community particularly in the rehabilitation of injured and abused cats which can continue thanks to the new facility and ongoing contributions from supporters.

To conclude my afternoon I accompanied another member of the communications department to a nearby park where there was an RSPCA organised community event where we would take photographs of pets and their owners for promotional materials.

I left the first day of my placement incredibly excited with what was to come. There was also a sense of relief that my studies at Curtin appeared to be consistent with the practices at the RSPCA upon first glance. Being able to discuss communication strategy and techniques with experienced practitioners further reaffirmed my interest in the field, providing me with the hope that i needed for the success of my future career.